Monday, 17 January 2011

It is very simple, your CV is your promotional material, an advert for yourself. After reading your CV a potential employer should WANT to interview you.

It is a clear, straightforward document that tells your potential employer the important things about you including:- full name- postal address- email address- telephone number- age- marital status- executive summary: one paragraph synopsis tailored for job sought- education and qualifications in reverse order including dates and grades - work history including role, company worked for and responsibilities- referee names and addresses

But a CV is not just about providing information about you, it is a document to sell you.

To do this a CV needs to be:- up to date- clear and easy to navigate- accurate and honest- achievement based- skills focussed - relevant for the job sought

The worst CVs are vague, incomplete, contain holes in dates, raise more questions than they answer, dishonest.

Employers are used to reading CVs; make sure yours shows you at your best and stands out from the rest.

Friday, 14 January 2011

The last blog post provided some tips for writing the university application personal statement. This is the number one fear for most UCAS applicants, and their parents, but it's only one part of quite a long process through which parents have a key role to play. This post will break down the process into understandable chunks, focussing on the parental role at each stage.

Stage One: Deciding whether university is right for your childThis is, to my mind, the most important stage and one that is often over looked. University is not right for everyone, and for many it will be right after a year or two out of education but not now. As a parent it is all too easy to get caught up in the flow of applying for university places, but the most valuable thing you can do is to talk to your child about how they see their future and help them make the right decision for them.

Stage Two: Selecting the right course for studySo we assume that university is the right way forward for your child. Now comes the part which is easy for some, particularly those following a vocation such as medicine dentistry, engineering or law, but hard for many. Which course to study? Is there a natural interest, in which case it is well worth purusing that. Is there a subject in which your child excels, perhaps that is the obvious route. More likely though is that you and your child will feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of courses available and what they offer. UCAS publish every course at every university, this is the data you will need. It is well worth meeting with a careers advisor either within or outside school at this time and allowing them to help your child to work through the various options that their A-level options lead to.

Stage Three: Shortlisting upto five universities for applicationThis stage depends to a large extent on stage two, after all you can only go to a university to study film and media if the university offers that course. Once you know which universities offer your course try to write a few lists along the following lines: - campus or non-campus universities; - city or town based; - large or small; within an hour, two hours, or more from home; - offering halls of residence or not; - lots of sports/music/drama/clubbing etc activities or not

I was clear when I applied; I didn't want to be too close to home, I wanted to be in a city and I wanted to be able to play my flute in bands. This really did help narrow my choice of universities from over 100 to about 10.

Once you have a shortlist of say 10 I would recommend visiting them. There is no better way to get a feel for a place than visiting, it let's you see where it is in it's town/city, let's you see the students there and allows you to be less daunted if/when you are called for interview. As a parent this is your job; driving or accompanying your child around the country and helping them experience the different universities.

Stage Four: UCAS form and personal statementThe last blog post provides lots of tips on writing the personal statement, and the UCAS form is pretty self explanatory. As a parent it is tempting to want to fill in the form for your child, but please resist the urge. This is a job only the applicant can do, it needs to be their thoughts, their feelings, their desires and their words. Of course you might well be chief checker and editor and no doubt will be making sure it all gets written on time, but let the content be your childs.

Stage Five: InterviewsNot every university will interview every applicant. Some students will be interviewed by every course, some by none; and it is difficult to know which bracket your child will fall into. However it is worth planning for an interview and the first thing that means is you taking your child for a shopping trip to get a smart outfit, a suit or similar. The second thing you can do is to help your child know what they wrote in their personal statement so that it is second nature to them, they can expect to be questioned on what they wrote. The third thing you can do is to reassure your child; interviews are a two way street, helping the course determine if the applicant is right and helping the applicant decide if this is where they would like to spend the next 3 or 4 years.

Stage Six: Selecting preferred courseAt the end of all this your child will hopefully have a number of university offers on the table. They may well be asking for different grades, or maybe not. And now it is all down to your child to select which they would like to go to, which did they feel most comfortable at when they visited, which is asking for the most achievable grades, which is the one they want to attend.

It is not easy helping your child think about leaving home and going to university, it is a stressful time for everyone; but by supporting your child and helping them when they want, it can be an amazing experience upon which you embark on the next phase of their life together.

Tuesday, 11 January 2011

If you want to study for a degree at university then you are going to need to write a personal statement for your UCAS form. We know this fills you with dread, the idea of filling a piece of paper with a statement about yourself; but fear not, help is on hand.

The applicants advice book provided by UCAS click here reminds you that your personal statement is "your opportunity to tell universities and colleges about your suitability for the course that you hope to study. You need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment, and above all, ensure that you stand out from the crowd."

There are three important things to remember when writing your personal statement:1. It is your work - UCAS and Universities check the statements against databases for plagarism.2. It is about you - the universities want to know about you; what you want to study and why, where you want to study and why, what experience you have that will help in your studies, what you like to do in your free time and why, and your goal from your university studies.3. It will form the basis for any interviews you are asked to attend - then it will be obvious if you have not be involved in writing your personal statement.

When we help people write personal statements we take a paragraph breakdown approach. This makes it easier to focus on the content, ensures nothing is missed out, and in the end ensures the statement provides what is needed for the readers. The paragraph breakdown we use is as follows:P1 - what you want to study and why you are interested in thatP2 - what you have done that relates to your course subject P3 - details of your work experience P4 - details of your school experiencesP5 - your outside school interests focussing on responsibilities heldP6 - focus on your goal of studying at university and a closing statement

We hope that this short article will start to remove some of the fear associated with writing personal statements. If you think some professional input would be valuable then please email spinningcareers@gmail.com who are happy to help you in the writing process.

Monday, 10 January 2011

You might be 16, 18, 21 or older; perhaps you've got some qualifications you want to use, perhaps not. What you do know is that you've had enough studying and want to get a job, so where do you go from here?

Well the first thing of course is to see what qualifications you have and what use they can be for an employer. Write them down, with the grades and put them to one side.

Next you need to think about your skills. What are you good at? are you a sportsman? a social organiser? quiet and good at concentrating? or confident and excellent with people?do you like to have your DVDs in alphabetical order?can you fix your computer problems without thinking twice?these are all skills, valuable skills which can be applied to the work environment.

The next thing is to write down what you love to do in life.a job is something you will do for more hours a week than your social life will take up, make sure you enjoy it. be clear about whether a quiet office would be better for you than a noisy call centre; or whether working outside would make you happier than being in a warehouse.

Sunday, 9 January 2011

Ten good questions to ask an interviewer when the opportunity presents.

An interview is not just about a prospective employer deciding whether you are right for the job; it is also an opportunity for you to decide if the job is right for you. Next time an interviewer asks you if you have any questions take the time to find out more about the company and role in question.

Here are ten questions that any interviewer should be able to answer and should be encouraged by:

Saturday, 8 January 2011

Wow what a list.I have had at least 50 interviews in my life and never been asked anything like these; and no one I know has ever come back from an interview with horror stories of these sort of questions. But I am fascinated by this article.

1. Because clearly there are organisations asking these questions. These are companies who have thousands of applicants for every position so they are looking for a way of finding that special candidate.

2. Because I would suggest that the organisations are interested in seeing how the applicant thinks through the question, copes with the panic and comes to some sort of answer. I doubt the answer itself matters. It is more about whether you stat calm under pressure and how your personality responds to the impossible.

3. Because I like a challenge and have had some fun thinking through some answers.

I would not start panicking that you might get asked these sort of questions at interview. But it would certainly tell you a lot about how you will cope under pressure if you try and answer a few. Give it a go, how does it feel, how would you respond?

Friday, 7 January 2011

KD (Oxfordshire) - salesEmma helped me completely redo my CV showing all the skills I didn't know I had. She made it fun and helped me realise what I could do in a different job. Working with her helped me make the career change from admin work to sales from which I have never looked back. If you think you could do more in your job than you are I recommend asking Emma to help you.

SD (Hampshire) - marketingI always planned to work in marketing but hadn't managed to sell myself into the field. I was working as a PA when Emma helped me see that I was developing skills that I could use in a marketing department. Emma produced a marketing focussed CV and covering letter and helped me find my first role as an assistant marketing assistant. The CV Emma produced for me is The one I still update many years later.

EE (Surrey) - project managementI was working in project management but felt I wasn't being given opportunities to move my career on. Emma helped me understand what responsibilities I was managing, many above my role requirements; she then worked with me to speak to my employers and present my request for promotion. I was promoted and also given additional training by my employers which has continued over the following years. I was ready to try and find a new job but with Emma's input I was able to progress without having to leave my employer.

VE (London) - account managementI was facing redundancy after many years with one company, I was scared of how to look for new jobs. Emma made the process of writing my CV fun, it wasn't painful or difficult. She really helped me feel confident about what I could do and supported me through interviews and salary negotiations. Working with Emma is a great experience.

JF (Hong Kong) - mechanical engineeringI met Emma at a conference she was speaking at in Hong Kong. We got talking and I told her how I wasn't getting promoted whilst colleagues were. Emma is so easy to talk to and I was thrilled when she gave me her email address and said she'd look at my cv for me if I wanted. By email we looked at my job, my skills and my career hopes; Emma then wrote a one page career summary for me and updated my CV. I used these to apply for new jobs and moved for a promotion within 3 months. Emma did all this for me as a favour, I am thrilled she is now going to offer it as a business.

ZM (Manchester) - software developmentEmma has a way with words, she takes my skills and experience and makes it sound amazing. When she first showed me her redesign of my cv I thought it was for someone else; but when she talked me through it I realised how she just showed my skills more professionally. The confidence boost that I had working with Emma on my CV carried into my interview and I am now enjoying my new job.

Tuesday, 4 January 2011

We can assist you every step of the way.Or we can provide as little as a single discussion.

It is only you who knows where you are,where you want to go and what you need from us.

All we ask from you is honesty, motivation and knowledge of you.

Skills identification session—one hour meeting £15We will talk with your about your experience and skills, helping you to see the skills you are not even aware you have. This is invaluable; successful people do it on an annual basis.

CV revamp—one hour meeting and CV production £25-£50*Skills identification session, followed by a redesign of your CV to ensure it includes all your skills and makes a lasting impression.

CV production—two meetings and CV production £35-£175*Production of a unique CV by our experienced CV writer. Includes skills identification session and follow up meeting to explore and elevate all your education, experience, skills and ambitions.

Job application form-one hour meeting £15The base service is a one hour meeting to discuss the form and provide ideas for how the questions might be answered. Further services can be provided on an hourly basis.

Personal statement development—one hour meeting £15Preparation of a personal statement for university or job applications is always easier when assisted by someone who has produced them before. We know what they are looking for.

Cover letter writing—add on to CV services £5, individually £10Interview preparation and careers guidance priced per hour.* fees vary according to age, experience and career aim.

It is a sole trader enterprise bringing my experience of starting, developing, changing and enhancing careers to those who want to improve their work prospects and opportunities.

The success of my technique is relationships; simply getting to know you, my client, allows me to help you know yourself better. It's not complicated, I'm no rocket scientist, but it works as some personal testimonies will show in the coming days.

But what about me....My USP for this work is my varied experience in a number of different careers, fields and working environments.

I left school at 18 with 4 A-Levels and headed off to University to study Civil Engineering with Management at UMIST. I got my 2nd class honours and promptly moved to the University of Birmingham where I obtained a Masters with Distinction in Project Management.

My first step on the career ladder post academia was as a graduate project manager for Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick Ltd in Basingstoke, Hants. With SW I gained project management experience on Private, Public and Defence projects and was promoted to the position of Project Manager running a number of projects value circa £5Million.

My first move came about 3 years into my career; less of a change and more of a concentration into a specific area of project management. I moved to become the assistant value and risk manager at Capital Value & Risk Limited (CVRL) in Henley, Oxon; a small limited company managed and run by it's two then owners. I was lucky enough to have a full year of fantastic on the job training at the hands of the two owners, at the end of which I was a certified project manager, value and risk manager and workshop facilitator for civil engineering, transportation and public works projects. I spent the next 2 years working as a paid employee for CVRL but with responsibility for marketing my services, sourcing clients, obtaining contracts, delivering services and collecting payments for myself and my PA. I also worked on the business systems, obtaining ISO quality achievement for the organisation.

This is when things really got exciting for my career. One of the partners of CVRL retired and the other was not looking for a new partner, it therefore became a one man owned organisation with me as the main income stream working upwards of 60 hours a week. Something had to change! I needed to get balance into my life and more control over the work I did.

So I started my own company, Major Value Consultancy Ltd, in 2003. Starting up on my own was challenging, stressful and scary but rewarding, exciting and a whole new way of working. I have never looked back. I'm not sure I'd make a very good employee any more! I dramatically reduced the hours I worked, often only working 50 hours a week. I am sure I spent many more hours thinking about the business, but that never felt like work. I was no longer away from home 3 or 4 nights a week, I could pick and choose my clients and projects. I took proper holidays, scheduled into my diary well ahead of time and held sacrasanct. And I made a nice living thankyou.

The philanthropist in me also came loose, I could finally include some voluntary and academic work into the mix. I taught a number of risk management courses around the country, both for students and professionals. I was co-author of two text books, consulted on project management best practice guides and became heavily involved with the Institute of Value Management and the International Association of Facilitators. And the huge joy of this part of my career, I wrote at least a dozen articles on value management and stakeholder consultation and was invited around the world to present them at international conferences.

In 2006 I made the decision to close MVc and focus on motherhood. Not an easy decision but definitely the right one and one which I have never regretted for an instant. I transferred my clients to other professionals with whom I had worked and happily closed a chapter in my life. There's nothing like ending on a high.

In the last 5 years I have been kept busy, both by motherhood but also in the voluntary sector. I volunteer for 3 charities in the local area, building relationships with young mums, families and children who need befriending and boosting in confidence. I am a trustee of two charities including chair of a local pre-school which is going from strength to strength despite governement cuts. And I have just completed my training to become a Licensed Lay Minister in the Church of England; a calling I follow passionately and excitedly.

And now a new chapter starts on the business front. Spinning Careers.

The idea developed after a number of ex-employees, now friends, had asked if I could help people they know with their CVs. I have always helped employees, friends and family members with their CVs, job applications and interview preparations. I love it. I don't know whether it's working with an individual to help them see their potential, or the challenge of working with words to wow readers. Whatever it is, it's a joy. And I learned long ago that life is too short to do anything other than things which you enjoy. So now I offer my services to the world at large, let me help you spin your career wherever you would like it to go.

That's me in a nut shell, not as formal as a CV, more of a biography. But I think it provides the things that matter.

Does cv writing make your head spin?Do the words for application forms spin away from you? Do personal statements leave you in a flat spin?Do you spin out of control at interviews?Does you future feel like it's spinning away from you?Does your head spin with ideas for a future you wish you could have?

Then it's time to stop the spinning top; see your skills clearly; and spin off into the future you deserve, with confidence and a little help from spinning careers.

Spinning careers; working FOR you in the way YOU need to get the career YOU deserve.